4ft tank vs 5ft tank... cost benefit analysis.

Nburg's Reef · Sep 8, 2017

I am in the early stages of planning my next upgrade, and will be joining the ranks of Full-Sized reef once again, after moving around a bit.

I can't decide on wether to get the Red Sea Reefer 425xl or the 525xl. Basically the same, but the 525 is a foot longer. For an extra 600 bucks, you get 12 more inches but after looking into it, that extra foot may require beefier equipment. Larger/ more lights, more or more powerful powerheads, more rock, more electricity to run these things, etc.

In your opinion, is the extra cost worth the extra foot?

Obviously, with choosing red sea, i plan on spending some cash, but i dont want to spend more than I need.

Matthew Dambra · Sep 8, 2017

You will always wish you had a bigger tank so if you can afford it id say the 5ft

S-t-r-e-t-c-h · Sep 8, 2017

Yeah, I'd opt for the extra foot. Nothing worse than deciding you need the space after everything is bought and set-up. It's an incremental cost if you do it now, it's exponential if you do it later (and much more of a headache)...

Nburg's Reef · Sep 8, 2017

The other obstacle that I would face would be weight and added length getting the thing up the steps. My living room is on the second floor and there is a landing at the top of the step that requires a 90* turn and then up another 3 steps. So that could make the 5ft-er much, much harder to get in.

tsav87 · Sep 8, 2017

Do you have an 8ft sofa in your living room? If so it made it up the stairs some how! lol

You will never wish you had a smaller tank. JMO.

Nburg's Reef · Sep 8, 2017

tsav87 said:
Do you have an 8ft sofa in your living room? If so it made it up the stairs some how! lol

You will never wish you had a smaller tank. JMO.

Nope, a love-seat and 2 recliners, lol. The fridge was a PITA and ended up putting dents in the wall. So the 250 lbs 5 footer may be pretty tough to muscle up.

themcnertney · Sep 8, 2017

Go big or go home is the saying right?

Nburg's Reef · Sep 8, 2017

Dan McNertney said:
Go big or go home is the saying right?

Or go big and go broke... lol

Flatlandreefer · Sep 8, 2017

I think you need to create a realistic budget that you can afford and stick to that, if the 5 foot tank falls into that budget go ahead and buy the bigger tank. You don't want to get a bigger tank and then have to pinch penny's when it comes to livestock to stock it. Just remember it will never cost less than expected!

Breadman03 · Sep 8, 2017

An appliance dolly and standing it up to navigate the landing will make it easy.

Nburg's Reef · Sep 8, 2017

Flatlandreefer said:
I think you need to create a realistic budget that you can afford and stick to that, if the 5 foot tank falls into that budget go ahead and buy the bigger tank. You don't want to get a bigger tank and then have to pinch penny's when it comes to livestock to stock it. Just remember it will never cost less than expected!

Right, I have set up many nanos over the year, saying hey, this tank is cheap why not... and several hundred over budget later and there was nothing left for live stock.

I originally thought I would be fine with the cost of the 5 foot model, but then I started researching equipment and its seems like the added length will require an extra MP40 or maybe even something larger (like a MP60), and extra Radion light fixture (if I go that route) or at least a larger Sunpower, more rock, larger heater, more energy to run these things, etc. That extra 12" can add up to like 1500 extra bucks in start up cost, which is a good amount for my budgeet.